Systems and methods for distributing rewards tied to user behavior in an interactive virtual reality system

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/311,753, filed Feb. 18, 2022, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.

This invention relates generally to a system and methods for distributing rewards in a virtual reality system, and more particularly, to a system and methods for distributing rewards based on user behavior in an interactive virtual reality system.

With the rise of digital shopping, traditional brick-and-mortar businesses struggle to generate foot traffic and sales. Many businesses and vendors thus turn to advertisement campaigns. However, current advertisement campaigns can result in a large portion of the advertisement dollars of a given campaign spent reaching “non-target” customers, evidenced by only a small percentage of total sales being attributable to one or more advertisement campaigns. Additionally, in current advertisement campaigns, it is difficult to correlate a given sale with a given advertisement, which makes accurately calculating the return on investment of an advertisement campaign difficult. Current methods to correlate sales with advertisements rely on determining a directional correlation between a “dark” market's sales, without advertisements, and another market's sales with varying levels and combinations of advertisements. However, such correlation methods incorporate variables and thus lack accuracy.

Gamification is a method to motivate or engage users by introducing game mechanics such as goal setting, feedback, and external rewards, to non-game environments. Gamification presents a viable means to encourage certain desired behavior in a multitude of environments. Recently, augmented reality gaming platforms have proven to be effective drivers of foot traffic to a given area. For example, Pokémon Go™ which is an augmented reality gaming application where players travel within an augmented reality version of the real world to collect virtual monsters via a user interface on a mobile device, has driven a large number of players to visit geolocations where the game indicates virtual monsters are located. Similarly, gamification has proven to be an effective tool to engage students in learning environments. For example, awarding badges or stickers to students can increase student motivation to participate. However, gaming applications can suffer with user retention based on a short attention span of users. To combat this issue, certain gaming applications incorporate time-limiting elements such as a waiting period in order to incentivize gamers to return to the application repeatedly.

As stated above, traditional advertisement campaigns lack the ability for a merchant to discern clear return on investment and can result in large portions of advertisement dollars being spent on non-target customers. Additionally, merchants struggle with drawing customers to brick-and-mortar business locations and encouraging customers to make purchases at those locations. Thus, there is a need for an improved advertising platform that effectively draws customers to a desired location and encourages customers to spend upon visiting that location. As explained above, augmented reality systems demonstrate a viable platform to draw people to certain areas, and gamification can be applied to encourage people to perform desired behaviors. Thus, a gamified augmented reality platform can also be useful to encourage desired user behavior. For example, an advertising platform that incorporates a gamified augmented reality system may enable merchants to draw customers to desired locations. Accordingly, disclosed herein are systems and methods that may address some of the above-identified needs.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for implementing an interactive virtual reality system with location-based rewards. An administrator server can receive advertisement information from a plurality of merchants relating to advertisement campaigns with location based rewards. The location based rewards can be collected by a plurality of users on a user device, such as a mobile phone. Upon collecting a given reward, the user can be encouraged to spend the reward at the given location by offering a variable reward worth 100% if redeemed at a merchant corresponding to the location of the location based reward or some lesser percentage if redeemed to the user's wallet. The administrator server can be configured to store reward data for each user participating in the interactive virtual reality system and to manage the redemption process of rewards. Some rewards can correspond to real-world currency that is subject to a vesting schedule before the user can spend or transfer the currency. Some rewards can correspond to a digital coupon for a participating merchant within the system. The administrator server can also be configured to manage merchant advertisement accounts. The administrator server can provide invoices to participating merchants that only charge the merchant an advertising fee for each reward a user collects of a given number of rewards within an advertising campaign of the merchant.

In some embodiments, a virtual rewards method using an interactive virtual reality system comprises: transmitting virtual reality data to a user device, the virtual reality data corresponding to a map that includes a user location corresponding to a location of the user device within the map and an avatar position corresponding to the user location, the avatar position updating as the user location updates, transmitting reward location data to the user device, the reward location data corresponding to a plurality of virtual reward locations located within the map wherein each virtual reward location within a predetermined proximity of the avatar position is identified with a specific reward icon and each virtual reward location outside the predetermined proximity is identified with a general reward icon, receiving from the user device an indication that the user has collected a virtual reward at a first virtual reward location, transmitting notification data to the user device, the notification data showing that the user has collected the virtual reward, and transmitting reward data to the user device, the reward data corresponding to the virtual reward for the first virtual reward location.

The reward data may include a first option and a second option and the method further comprises receiving from the user device a selection of either the first option or the second option. The first option can enable a user to redeem a full-value reward usable at a specific real-world merchant and the second option enables a user to redeem a lesser-value digital unit that can be stored in a digital wallet. The specific reward icon may be a merchant-specific icon corresponding to a real-world merchant offering a reward at the virtual reward location identified by the specific reward icon. When the avatar position is within a predetermined proximity of a first virtual reward location and a second virtual reward location, the specific reward icon identifying each of the first virtual reward location and the second virtual reward location may be a unique merchant-specific icon corresponding to different real-world merchants.

Receiving the indication from the user device may occur automatically when the user device scans a QR code at a real-world location corresponding to the first virtual reward location. Receiving the indication from the user device can occur automatically when the user device scans an RFID tag at a real-world location corresponding to the first virtual reward location. Receiving the indication from the user device may occur automatically when the user location is within a predetermined distance of a GPS beacon located at a real-world location corresponding to the first virtual reward location.

In some embodiments, the virtual reward can only be used within a predetermined time after transmitting the reward data. The virtual reward may be a digital unit that can be used at a real-world merchant corresponding to the first virtual reward location. In some embodiments, the digital unit can only be used at the real-world merchant within a predetermined time after transmitting the reward data.

The method may comprise transmitting command data to the user device, the command data containing instructions to remove the first virtual reward location from the map when a predetermined number of rewards for the first virtual reward location have been collected. The real-world merchant may pay a fee when the virtual reward is collected at a virtual location corresponding to the real-world merchant. The method may comprise transmitting bonus reward data to the user device, the bonus reward data being transmitted randomly.

The virtual reward may be a digital unit that corresponds to a real-world currency. The method may comprise, after receiving a first user command, converting the digital unit to the real-world currency; and transmitting currency data to the user device, the currency data corresponding to the real-world currency value of the digital unit. The method may comprise, after receiving a second user command, transferring the real-world currency value of the converted digital unit to a bank account. Converting the digital unit to real-world currency may not occur until after completion of a vesting schedule. Completion of the vesting schedule can require allowing a predetermined period of time to pass after transmitting the reward data.

In some embodiments, a non-transitory machine readable medium stores instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the device to perform operations comprising: transmitting virtual reality data to a user device, the virtual reality data corresponding to a map that includes a user location corresponding to a location of the user device within the map and an avatar position corresponding to the user location, the avatar position updating as the user location updates, transmitting reward location data to the user device, the reward location data corresponding to a plurality of virtual reward locations located within the map wherein each virtual reward location within a predetermined proximity of the avatar position is identified with a specific reward icon and each virtual reward location outside the predetermined proximity is identified with a general reward icon, receiving from the user device an indication that the user has collected a virtual reward at a first virtual reward location, transmitting notification data to the user device, the notification data showing that the user has collected the virtual reward, and transmitting reward data to the user device, the reward data corresponding to the virtual reward for the first virtual reward location.

In some embodiments, an interactive virtual reality system comprises: one or more processors coupled to one or more memory devices, wherein the one or more memory devices include instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the system to: transmit virtual reality data to a user device, the virtual reality data corresponding to a map that includes a user location corresponding to a location of the user device within the map and an avatar position corresponding to the user location, the avatar position updating as the user location updates, transmit reward location data to the user device, the reward location data corresponding to a plurality of virtual reward locations located within the map wherein each virtual reward location within a predetermined proximity of the avatar position is identified with a specific reward icon and each virtual reward location outside the predetermined proximity is identified with a general reward icon, in response to receiving an indication from the user device, transmit notification data to the user device, the notification data showing that the user has collected a virtual reward at a first virtual reward location, and transmit reward data to the user device, the reward data corresponding to the virtual reward for the first virtual reward location.

It will be appreciated that any of the variations, aspects, features and options described in view of the systems can be combined.

Additional advantages will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. The aspects and descriptions herein are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.

All publications, including patent documents, scientific articles and databases, referred to in this application are incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes to the same extent as if each individual publication were individually incorporated by reference. If a definition set forth herein is contrary to or otherwise inconsistent with a definition set forth in the patents, applications, published applications and other publications that are herein incorporated by reference, the definition set forth herein prevails over the definition that is incorporated herein by reference.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for distributing rewards based on user behavior. Rewards can be offered by merchants in an interactive virtual reality (VR) system displayed on a mobile device. Alternatively, rewards can be offered by educational entities in an interactive educational game displayed on a mobile device.

Rewards offered by merchants in an interactive VR system can more effectively draw customers to desired physical locations than prior advertising platforms by presenting rewards to users within an interactive reward map. The interactive VR system can solve the issues associated with merchants spending advertisement dollars on non-target customers by providing an advertising platform wherein a given merchant pays for advertising services only when a given reward offered by the merchant is collected by a user.

The interactive VR system can enable a merchant to offer virtual rewards to customers using an application on a mobile device. The virtual rewards can be collected by users who visit a specified geolocation and follow the appropriate instructions to collect the reward. For example, a merchant can specify a virtual reward is available to users who visit the brick-and-mortar business location of the merchant and scan a quick-response (QR) code located on a counter in the business location. As such, the interactive VR system enables merchants to provide incentives for users to visit their business location and thus provides a new method for merchants to generate foot traffic.

In some embodiments, the interactive VR system can provide a pricing scheme wherein merchants only pay the system administrator upon collection of a reward for a given campaign. For example, the merchant can be charged by the administrator only when users collect a reward from a given campaign, thereby demonstrating a clear one-to-one relationship between advertisement costs and a sale. Thus, the interactive VR system can enable merchants to clearly correlate return on investment costs of a given advertising campaign.

The interactive VR map can provide an improved platform enabling users to collect and use rewards offered by merchants more easily. For example, whereas redeeming a paper coupon requires the user to save the physical coupon and bring it to the business location, the interactive VR system enables a user to both collect and redeem a digital coupon using their mobile device. Further, the interactive VR system similarly provides an improved benefit relative to redeeming a coupon received through an email campaign because the user does not have to search through an email inbox in order to find a given coupon. Instead, the user can both collect and redeem a coupon using an application on their mobile device simply by visiting the business location.

The ease of collecting and using virtual rewards may also incentivize users to open the application on their mobile device wherever they travel. For example, virtual rewards can be collected using a mobile device and stored in a mobile application upon collection. Thus, users are incentivized to simply open the application whenever they are near business locations to check to see what offers are available and to then collect those offers either to be used immediately or stored for future use.

The virtual rewards may include digital units corresponding to real-world currency. The real-world currency may be usable within a user wallet within interactive VR system at any number of participating merchants within the system. Alternatively, virtual rewards may be coupons usable at a participating merchant. For example, a user may collect a coupon for a specific merchant upon scanning a QR code at the merchant counter and immediately use the coupon on their purchase. Alternatively, the user may store the coupon in a digital wallet for future use.

The interactive VR system can also encourage customers to spend upon visiting a given location by offering variable rewards. For example, a given reward offered by a merchant may be worth full-value (100%) if redeemed and used immediately, and can decrease in value if not redeemed and used immediately. In some embodiments, the reward can be collected and stored for future use. However, a reward stored for future use may have a reduced value relative to a reward immediately used. For example, upon collecting a given reward, a user may be prompted to select an option to collect the reward for 100% value if redeemed immediately at that merchant, or an option to collect the reward for 20% value if stored in a user wallet within the interactive VR system.

The interactive virtual reality system can also include a wallet management system that incorporates techniques to ensure customer retention. Such techniques can include a time-limiting vesting period. For example, a user may collect a digital reward worth $20 subject to a specified vesting period. Thus, the user will be motivated to continue using the application until that reward vests and becomes usable. Similarly, because the interactive VR system simplifies the process for users to collect rewards, users will be incentivized to continuously open the application on their device to continuously collect rewards, and use and/or store rewards.

The wallet management system can also be used to manage rewards offered by educational entities via an education system module. The education system module can be displayed in an application on a mobile device and can improve student engagement and participation by offering monetary rewards for specified behavior. In some embodiments, the educational system can offer monetary rewards for correct answers to educational quizzes. The educational system can enable teachers to create quizzes tailored to the subjects being taught and the progression of a class within a subject. Additionally, the educational system can offer monetary rewards based on student attendance. For example, students can verify attendance for a given lesson using their mobile device by using a check-in feature based on their geographic location. The location can be based on classes taught in a specific room in a school, or at a specified remote location. Beneficially, by introducing game elements such as feedback and external rewards in an educational application, the education system module can increase student participation and engagement in educational activities.

The wallet management system can similarly be used to manage rewards offered by advertisers via an advertiser quiz system module. The advertiser quiz system module can be displayed in an application on a mobile device and can enable advertisers to sponsor quiz games via displaying advertisements in the application. In non-limiting examples, the advertiser quiz system module can enable advertisers to sponsor educational quizzes, administrator-created quizzes, advertiser-created quizzes, etc. The advertiser quiz system can offer monetary rewards based on user performance in the quiz.

In some embodiments, the reward wallet management system can be used to manage rewards offered by government entities via a government distribution system module. The government distribution system module can be displayed on a mobile device or other computing device to users and/or merchants. The government distribution system can facilitate distribution of funds to users in remote areas without widely accessible banking institutions and thereby improve financial inclusion across a population. The government distribution system can also enable quick government entity response in time-sensitive situations such as providing funds to users and merchants after a natural disaster or providing funds to groups such as refugee camps or organizations assisting people within a specific geographic area.

Reference will now be made in detail to implementations and embodiments of various aspects and variations of systems and methods described herein. Although several exemplary variations of the systems and methods are described herein, other variations of the systems and methods may include aspects of the systems and methods described herein combined in any suitable manner having combinations of all or some of the aspects described.

Disclosed herein are systems that may address one or more of the needs discussed above.

Interactive VR System

depicts an exemplary computer-based systemfor implementing an interactive virtual reality (VR) system with location-based rewards. In some embodiments, systemenables advertisers to create virtual icons and assign certain parameters for users to collect them within an interactive virtual reality system. Users can explore a virtual reality system that may include a map with various icons corresponding to a given reward assigned by an advertiser. If the user satisfies the appropriate procedure to collect a reward, the user can elect to redeem the reward at the particular advertiser or to store a reduced value version of the reward for future use.

As shown, in some embodiments, systemcan include an administrator serverthat is connected to user deviceand merchant systemover network. Administrator servercan house interactive VR program, advertisement databaseand VR application database. Interactive VR programcan include advertisement module, interactive VR system module, and reward wallet module.

As used herein, “module” refers to computer logic that contains one or more routines that make up a sub-component of a broader computer program. A module can be implemented in hardware, firmware, and/or software controlling a general purpose processor. According to one embodiment, a module can include programming code stored on a storage device corresponding to the module that are loaded into memory and executed by a processor. In another embodiment, a module can be computer executable instructions stored in a tangible computer-readable storage medium.

Although only one user deviceand one merchant systemare illustrated in, it should be understood that any number of user devices and any number of merchant systems can be connected to administrator serverover network. Merchant systemcan include any computing device located at a given merchant location. Merchant systemmay provide access to cloud services in order to receive and transmit information. User devicecan be a mobile smartphone, a communication-enabled tablet or laptop, or any other mobile device capable of computation, storage, input, output, and display, that is similar to or superior to existing smartphones, tablets, and laptops.

According to some embodiments, administrator servermay be a virtual server in a virtual machine environment hosted by a third party. The virtual machine environment can include one or more processors and one or more memory devices in communication with an administrator device via network. A virtual administrator server may be configured to execute interactive VR programusing instruction contained in the one or more memory devices executed by the one or more processors. Alternatively, administrator servercan be any local computing device located at an administrator site. A local administrator servercan include a processor and a memory. The memory can store instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations.

Administrator servercan be in communication with advertisement databaseand VR application database. In some embodiments, administrator servercan communicate with various user deviceswithin systemover a local public switched telephone network (PTSN) or telephone system using data transfers or other wireless protocol, such as SMS texts. Accordingly, administrator servercan still communicate with user devicewhen the user device is in a location with limited bandwidth or without broadband internet access.

In some embodiments, VR application databasecan store data used in interactive VR program to be provided to users on a user deviceover network. The data stored in VR application databasecan include data used in interactive VR program. For example, data used in interactive VR programcan include: (1) interactive map data, (2) user data, and (3) reward data. Interactive map data can include geographic coordinates of buildings and landmarks of a real world area, geographic coordinates corresponding to virtual reward locations, imagery data to display a map of an area with virtual reward icons at each virtual reward location and an avatar representative of a user location within the map, etc. User data can include identifying information associated with each user of the VR application, a geographic location associated with the real world location of each user, etc. Reward data can include icons associated with a given virtual reward, merchant-specific icons, general reward icons, information regarding how to collect a given reward and what type of reward is available from a given virtual reward, etc.

According to some embodiments, advertisement databasecan store advertisement data supplied by merchants to be used in interactive VR program. In non-limiting examples, the data stored in advertisement databasemay include: (1) merchant information, (2) advertisement campaign information, and (3) advertisement campaign metrics. Merchant information can include identifying information of a participating merchant such as a merchant logo, payment mechanisms, enrollment and contact information, etc. Advertisement campaign information for a given merchant can include advertisement parameters such as reward type, advertisement period, number of rewards available or total value of rewards available, etc. Advertisement campaign metrics for a given advertisement campaign can include return on investment information, frequency of reward redemption information, remaining campaign balance or period, number of unique users who have redeemed rewards, etc.

Advertisement data can be received from a merchant systemvia network. In some embodiments, a merchant may specify information for a given advertisement using merchant dashboardin merchant system. Merchant dashboardcan include a user interface implemented by advertisement modulethat enables a given merchant to create an advertising campaign and specify advertisement parameters for the campaign to be delivered to users via interactive VR system module.

Advertisement Module

depicts a methodfor a merchant to generate an advertisement campaign for interactive VR program, in accordance with some embodiments. Methodcan be implemented using a merchant dashboard in a merchant system in communication with an administrator server, such as merchant dashboard, merchant systemand administrator serverof system. In some embodiments, methodcan be provided to a merchant by advertisement moduleof system.

At block, in some embodiments, a merchant can enroll to participate in an advertisement platform. A merchant may enroll using a merchant dashboard in a merchant system that is in communication with an administrator server, such as merchant dashboard, merchant systemand administrator serverof system. According to some embodiments, the advertisement platform can be implemented by advertisement moduleof system. When enrolling, a merchant can provide certain identifying information such as contact information, merchant logo, geographic location, etc. The identifying information may be stored in an advertisement database such as advertisement databaseof system.

As shown in block, in some embodiments, a merchant can provide a payment mechanism. A merchant may provide a payment mechanism according to instructions provided by advertisement module. Advertisement modulemay provide pricing information to a merchant and generate invoices based on the merchant's account.

At block, in some embodiments, a merchant can generate and launch an advertisement campaign. A merchant may generate and launch an advertisement campaign using advertisement module. According some embodiments, advertisement modulecan enable a merchant to create an entirely new campaign by designating a campaign icon, a reward type, a period for the campaign, a reward collection location, and a payment scheme.

When generating and launching an advertisement campaign, a merchant may be prompted to select a reward type that can be collected. The reward type may be a coupon for a specific merchant or a reward of one or more digital units corresponding to real-world currency. The merchant may also be prompted to specify reward data such as a title for the reward, reward type, the reward icon that will be displayed to the user, information regarding how the user can collect the reward, reward terms and conditions etc. In some embodiments, the reward data will be categorized into a title and sub-title that will be displayed when the reward is selected by a user. For example, when the user selects a given reward the interactive VR appmay display a title including general reward information such as the merchant name, type and amount of reward, and a sub-title including information such as the terms and conditions of the reward, the expiration date of the reward, a coupon code, etc. According to some embodiments, when generating an advertisement campaign, the merchant may view an advertisement preview on their merchant dashboardbefore launching the campaign.

The reward location for a given advertisement campaign is the location within a VR map that users must visit in order to collect the offered reward. In some embodiments, the merchant may specify that a user must be within a predefined proximity to the merchant's business location in order to collect a reward. In setting the proximity, a merchant has control over the generation of foot-traffic to their physical business location and thus provides a means for the merchant to encourage and generate foot traffic. Alternatively, a merchant may specify the location is a specific location within the VR map that is not necessarily near the merchant's business location. For example, a merchant may specify that a reward can be collected near a competitor's business location and then redeemed at the merchant's business location elsewhere. In some embodiments, a merchant may offer a reward that can be redeemed at their business location but collected at a location within the VR map that corresponds to a heavily trafficked area such as outside of a public transit area, a mall, or near a collection of restaurants, in non-limiting examples.

The payment scheme for a given campaign can, in some embodiments, be set by a merchant such that campaign funds are deducted from a campaign budget only upon a collection of a reward by a user. For example, the payment scheme can be a specified fee due to a system administrator for every user who collects a reward. Beneficially, this enables a merchant to entirely eliminate advertisement dollars being wasted on non-target customers as only customers who actually collect a reward generate a fee due to the system administrator. In some embodiments, the merchant can specify a budget for a particular campaign of an indefinite period, such that the campaign continues until the budget is exhausted. In some embodiments, the merchant can specify a budget for a particular campaign of an indefinite period, such that the campaign continues until the budget is exhausted.

In some embodiments, advertisement modulecan enable a merchant to re-launch a prior campaign. To re-launch a prior campaign, a merchant can, in some embodiments, select a new period for the campaign or specify a new budget and payment scheme. Beneficially, by enabling a merchant to design, update, and launch campaigns themselves, the interactive VR system enables merchants to autonomously control their advertisement campaigns without relying on a third party to build campaigns for them.